Web folding and sealing apparatus



OGL 8, 1963 L. F. PLUMMER ETAL 3,106,505

WEB FOLDING AND SEALING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 8, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet l@L ff:

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WEB FOLDING AND SEALING APPARATUS Filed sep'i. 8, 1960 2 sheets-Sheet 2'I Z5 T --f-TW J fa ATTORNEYS United States Patent O Delaware FiledSept. 8, 19619, Ser. No. 54,7 02 Claims. (Cl. 156-461) This inventionrelates to a web folding and sealing apparatus and more particularly toan apparatus for forming a longitudinal fold in a paper web and heatsealing the back of the paper together to form laminated post cards.

Bills for services by utility and other companies are frequently in theform of post cards. In the past it has been customary to print astandard format on both the front and reverse sides of these post cards.The post cards were then run through a tabulating machine twice to Writethe addressing information on the front of the post card. and thebilling information on the reverse side of the post card. Suchprocedures necessitated two passes through the printing press and twopasses through the tabulating machine. An obvious economy could beeffected if it were possible to reduce the number of passes through theprinting press and tabulating machine to one each.

It is, therefore, a primary object of this invention to provide anapparatus for longitudinally folding and heat sealing a web of papercontaining printed matter to form articles with printed matter on bothsides thereof.

It is another object of this invention to provide an apparatus whichwill form laminated post cards from a web of paper printed in therequired format on the front side and coated with a heat sensitive orthermally active adhesive on the back side.

It is a further objective of this invention to provide an apparatus forfolding and heat sealing a one-part form to make a web of laminated postcards.

With these and other objects in view, the present invention contemplatesan apparatus for folding and sealing a paper web coated on one side witha heat sensitive adhesive and including a forming funnel, chute or guidefor forming a longitudinal fold in the web to bring the adhesive coatedhalves together and a pair of heated platens for engaging opposite sidesof the folded web to activate the adhesive. A -pair of driven rollersare provided for drawing the web through the forming chute and betweenthe platens and for squeezing the web halves together to effect a finalbond therebetween. A pin feed device is utilized as a guide to insureproper alignment of the folded web as it passes between the heatedplatens. A cam and lever device is also provided for separating theplatens to facilitate easy threading of the machine.

Other objects, advances, and novel features of the invention will becomereadily apparent upon consideration of the following detaileddescription taken in conjunction with accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation view of an apparatus embodying theprincipal features of the invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged view, partially in section, of the upper portionof the apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1 and illustrating to advantage thepath of the web through the folding and sealing apparatus of the presentinvention;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIGURE 4 is an end elevation of the apparatus shown in FIG. 2 and istaken along the line 4--4 of FIG. 2;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged perspective view of the forming chute whichelfects the longitudinal fold in the web;

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FIGURE 6 is a section view, somewhat enlarged, taken along the line 6-6of FIG. 4; and

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged sectional View taken along the line '7-7 of FIG.2 and illustrating the adjustable nature of the pin feed device utilizedto insure proper alignment of the folded web with respect to the heatedplatens. A

Attention now is directed to the drawings wherein like numerals ofreference designate like parts throughout the several views and inparticular to FIGS. l to 3 wherein is disclosed a preferred embodimentof the invention comprising a base supporting frame 1t?y having aforming funnel, chute or guide, generally designated by the referencenumeral 11, mounted on the side thereof by means of brackets 12. Thelower or entrance portion of the chute 11 is substantially flat whilethe upper corners are bent inwardly to dene overhanging portions whichserve to guide and confine the edges of a web of paper passingtherethrough. These overhanging portions are best illustrated in FIG. 6,and the lateral edge portions will be described presently in connectionwith the operation of the device.

Positioned adjacent the slot 14 and secured to the base 10 is a sheetmetal guide 1S. The guide serves to guide a folded web emerging from theslot 14 around a right angle turn and onto a table or surface 19 formingthe top of the base 1i). A pin feed type mechanism 20 is positionedWithin a recess 21 formed in the surface 19. Pins 22 of the pinmechanism 20 project beyond the upper surface of the table 19 and areadapted to engage perforated or apertured edges formed on the web beingfolded and sealed.

A fixed heater platen 24 is secured within an opening in the base 10with the upper surface thereof lying in the plane of the table 19. Amovable heater platen 25 is pivotally mounted with respect to the base10 by means of pivot arm 26 and pivot pin 28. The platens 24 and 25 areadapted to be heated and thermostatically controlled in any suitablemanner.

A cam 29 is pivotally mounted on the base 10 by means of a pivot pin 30and is provided with a hand lever 31 which may be actuated to impartoscillatory movement to lthe cam 29. The movable platen 25 is providedwith a pivotally mounted cam follower roller 32 which is so positionedas to be in rolling contact with an upper surface 34 of the cam 29.Thus, oscillatory movement of the cam 29 serves to raise and lower themovable platen 25 a limited distance due to the fact that the center ofcurvature of the vsurface 34 is displaced from the axis of the pivot pin30. The movable platen 25 is also provided with an insulated handle 35which may be utilized to pivot the platen 25 completely away from theplaten 24 in order to facilitate cleaning of the platens.

A pair of pulling land se-aling pressure rollers 36 and 38 are rotatablymounted on the frame 10 :adjacent to the right hand extremity of platens24 and 25 as viewed in FIG. 2. The rollers 36 and 38 are preferablyspringloaded steel rollers. A motor 39 is provided for the purpose ofdriving the rollers 36 and 38 to draw' the web of paper through themachine.

Operation which facilitate the formation of a longitudinal fold. The web4t) has further been' provided with spaced, laterally directedperforations 42 which facilitate detaching the individual post cardswhen the forming and sealing operation has been completed. A standardformat for both sides of the completed post card has been printed on thereverse side of the web 40 (as viewed in FIG. 2) in a single passthrough Ia printing press. The addressing iand vbilling information for`both sides of the completed post card has also been written on thereverse side of the web 40 in a single pass through la tabulatingmachine. The edges of :the web 4t) are provided with spaced apertures 44which are adapted to be engaged by pin feed mechanism 20. Thus prepared,the web 40 is ready for the operations to be performed by the apparatusof the present invention.

An end of the web 4() is iirst inserted into the lower end of the chute11 so that the edges thereof `are engaged by the overhanging portionsdefined by the turned in edges 15 fand 16 of the chute 11. The end ofthe web 4i) is then moved upwardly until it emerges from the slot 14.The end of the web will then be folded along the longitudinalperforations 41 with the adhesive surfaces in abutting engagement andwith both sets of apertures 44 coinciding. The end of the web is thenpulled around the guide 18 and placed on the surface of the table 19 sothat the -pins 22 of the pin feed mechanism 2t) engage the apertures 44along the edge of the folded web 40. The mechanism 2t) serves tomaintain the folded web in axial alignment with the platens 24 and 25.

The hand lever 31 is then depressed to move the cam 29 in acounter-clockwise direction to elevate the follower roller 32 and hencethe platen 25. The end of the folded web 40 is then slid between platens24 and 25 land into engagement with the pull rollers 36 and 38, whichare being driven' slowly by the motor 39. The lever 31 is then elevatedto move the cam 29 in a clockwise direction and thus lower the platen 25into proximity with the folded web 40. At this stage, the machine isthreaded up and is ready for operation. Motor 39 is then brought up tooperating speed to rotate the rollers 36 and 38 and pull the web 40through the machine. As the web 40 passes through the chute 11 it isfolded along the perforations 41 as has :been previously described. Theweb 40 then passes over the guide 18 and into engagement with the pinfeed mechanism which ialigns it with respect to the .platens 24 and 25.As the web 40 passes between the heated platens 24 and 25, the heatsensitive adhesive is activated. Close engagement between the platens 24and and the `folded halves of the web 40 may serve to provide fat leastsome bonding or sealing between the folded halves of the web 40. As theweb leaves the platens 24 and 25, it passes between the pull rollers 36fand 38. However, the preferred mode of :operation is to rely on theplatens only for heating and to utilize the pull rollers 36 land 38 aspressure rollers for effecting the bond. The squeezing of the folded web40 by the rollers 36 and 38 serves to eliminate any `air bubbles andperfects the bond or seal between the adhesively joined halves.

After the web 40 has )been passed completely through the machine, theindividual sections thereof may be de- -tached along the lateralperforation 42 to form completed post cards which are then ready formailing. If desired, the edge of the post cards containing the apertures44 can then be removed prior to mailing although this is not essential.

Although post icards are customarily made to :a standard size, uponoccasion it might be desirable to make laminated cards `from webs ofvarious widths. To do this it would simply be necessary to substitute aforming chute 11 of corresponding size. For this purpose, the brackets12 could be made lin such a manner as to facilitate easy attachment andremoval of chutes 11 or varying sizes. It would 'also `be necessary toprovide for l lateral adjustment of the pin feed mechanism 20. For thispurpose pin feed mechanism 2() is slidably mounted upon rods 45 (FIG. 7)and is provided with set screws 46 which may be used to lock the pinfeed mechanism 20 in any of a plurality of lateral positions.

Thus it can be seen that an apparatus has been provided which will makelaminated post card forms from a web of adhesively coated paper in asingle operation'. The design of the present invention is such that thewebs accommodated may be prepared with 'a single printing and a singletabulating operation. The apparatus of the present invention is alsoreadily adaptable to the production of `forms of varying sizes by thesimple expedient of substituting one element and making a minoradjustment in Ianother element.

It is to be understood that the above described embodiment is simplyillustrative of the principal features of the invention. Numerous otherembodiments could be readily devised by those skilled in the artcontaining the inventive concepts of the present invention and fallingwithin the spirit and scope thereof.

What is claimed is:

l. An apparatus for the continuous longitudinal and central folding of aweb of paper stock coated upon one side with a thermally active adhesivematerial and bondd ing of the resulting folded halves together, whichapparatus comprises a supporting frame; a one-piece forming guide ofrigid sheet materia-l carried by said frame and having a substantiallyflat entrance end portion of a width at least equal to the width of theinitial or unfolded web and provided with inturned lateral edgesthroughout its length beneath which the margins of the entering webmove, the guide itself having its opposite end portion doubled over toprovide `a narrow exit slot of a length equal to substantially one-halfof the Width of the entrance end of the guide and extending in thedirection perpendicular to the plane of the entrance end portion, theintermediate portions of the guide curving gradually and symmetricallyfrom one end to the other, the lateral edges of the guide archinginwardly toward each other from the entrance end to substantially meetat one end of the exit slot, the mid-portion of the substantiallyplantar entrance end `gradually troughing and narrowing toward thedischarge end where it ultimately forms the other end of said exit slot;means for guiding the folded web from said exit slot along a surface ofsaid supporting frame; a pair of heated platens between which saidfolded web is adapted to move whereby the thermally active adhesive isactivated to initiate the sealing of the folded halves of the webtogether; and finally a pair of driven pressure rollers between whichthe folded heated web is passed, said rollers senving to apply finalsealing pressure and acting as pull rollers pull the web past theplatens.

2. The apparatus as set forth in claim l in which the path of progressof the web through the platens and pull rollers is substantiallyhorizontal, and in which said forming guide is disposed in asubstantially vertical position with the entrance end lowermost, wherebythe web may be fed upwardly from a source below the guide, and anarcuate guide plate is mounted on said frame adjacent the upperdischarge end of the forming guide to guide the folded web through achange of course from the forming guide to the platens.

3. The apparatus as set forth in claim 2 in -which a pin feed device isinterposed `between the curved guide plate and the heating platens onthe supporting frame, to engage within a series of openings provided inat least one margin of the folded web.

4. 'Ihe apparatus as set forth in claim 1 in which the path of progressof the web through the platens and pull rollers is substantiallyhorizontal `and in which one of the platens is fixed to the frame`beneath the web and the other platen is pivoted at one of its ends tothe frame to occupy a position above the web, a cam follower roller iscarried by the upper platen, and a manually actuatable cam is pivoted tothe frame to contact and displace said cam follower to raise said upperplaten about its pivot point to pro-vide access ybetween the platens forthreading the guide therethrough.

5. As an article of manufacture, a forming guide rfor doubling paperWebs, which comprises a funnel-like piece of rigid sheet material havinga substantially flat entrance end portion of a width at least equal tothe width of the initial or 'unfolded -Web to be folded and providedwith inturned lateral edges throughout its length beneath which themargins of the entering Weib move, the guide itself having its oppositeend portion doubled over to provide a narrow exit slot of a length equalto substantially one-'half of the Width of the entrance end of the[guide and extending in the direction perpendicular to the plane of theentrance end portion, the intermediate portions of the :guide curvinggradually and symmetrically from one end (to the other, the lateraledges of the guide arching 6 inwardly toward each other from theentrance end to -substantially meet at one end of the exit slot, themid-portion of the substantially planar entrance end gradually troughingand narrowing toward the discharge end |Where it ultimately forms theother end of said exit slot.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,410,622 Swift Mar. 28, 1922 1,962,257 lNordstrom June 12, 19342,145,334 Bergstein Jan. 31, 1939 2,264,707 Meyer Dec. 2, 1941 2,360,973Pedersen Oct. 24, 1944 2,673,495 Hecker et al. Mar. 30, 1954 2,698,046Finke Dec. 28, 1954 2,728,439 Murphy etal Dec. 27, 1955 2,956,799 WassenOct. 18, 1960` 3,006,800 Lasker et al. Oct. 30, 1961

1. AN APPARATUS FOR THE CONTINUOUS LONGITUDINAL AND CENTRAL FOLDING OF AWEB OF PAPER STOCK COATED UPON ONE SIDE WITH A THERMALLY ACTIVE ADHESIVEMATERIAL AND BONDING OF THE RESULTING FOLDED HALVES TOGEHER, WHICHOPPARATUS COMPRISES A SUPPORTING FRAME; A ONE-PIECE FORMING GUIDE OFRIGID SHEET MATERIAL CARRIED B Y SAID FRAME AND HAVING A SUBSTANTIALLYFLAT ENTRANCE END PORTION OF A WIDTH AT LEAST EQUAL TO THE WIDTH OF THEINITIAL OR UNFOLDED WEB AND PROVIDED WITH INTURNED LATERAL EDGESTHROUGHOUT ITS LENGTH BENEATH WHICH THE MARGINS OF THE ENTERING WEBMOVE, THE GUIDE ITSELF HAVING ITS OPPOSITE END PORTION DOUBLED OVER TOPROVIDE A NARROW EXIT SLOT OF A LENGTH EQUAL TO SUBSTANTIALLY ONE-HALFOF THE WIDTH OF THE ENTRANCE END OF THE GUIDE AND EXTENDING IN THEDIRECTION PERPENDICULAR TO THE PLANE OF THE ENTRANCE END PORTION, THEINTERMEDIATE PORTIONS OF THE GUIDE CURVING GRADUALLY AND SYMMETRICALLYFROM ONE END TO THE OTHER, THE LATERAL EDGES OF THE GUIDE ARCHINGINWARDLY TOWARD EACH OTHER FROM THE ENTRANCE END TO SUBSTANTIALLY MEETAT ONE END OF THE EXIT SLOT, THE MID-PORTION OF THE SUBSTANTIALLY PLANARENTRANCE END GRADUALLY TROUGHING AND NARROWING TOWARD THE DISCHARGE ENDWHERE IT ULTIMATELY FORMS THE OTHER END OF SAID EXIT SLOT; MEANS FORGUIDING THE FOLDED WEB FROM SAID EXIT SLOT ALONG A SURFACE OF SAIDSUPPORTING FRAME; A PAIR OF HEATED PLATENS BETWEEN WHICH SAID FOLDED WEBIS ADAPTED TO MOVE WHEREBY THE THERMALLY ACTIVE ADHESIVE IS ACTIVATED TOINITIATE THE SEALING OF THE FOLDED HALVES OF THE WEB TOGETHER; ANDFINALLY A PAIR OF DRIVEN PRESSURE ROLLERS BETWEEN WHICH THE FOLDEDHEATED WEB IS PASSED, SAID ROLLERS SERVING TO APPLY FINAL SEALINGPRESSURE AND ACTING AS PULL ROLLERS PULL THE WEB PAST THE PLATENS.